Wellington

This is a short story about a southerly front. Wellington is well known for its windy weather - and I recently found some graphic illustrations of how quickly and dramatically the conditions can change. From a northerly of less than 5 knots to a southerly of 50+ knots in less than 3 minutes! Years ago (20), when I was single and obsessed with windsurfing I was one of the keen windsurfers who used to park at the bottom of the harbour on the Petone foreshore and wait for the predicted 'southerly buster' to arrive. When it did there would be a black wall appear at the harbour entrance which would rapidly advance towards us over a period of a few minutes, and the only question was 'which sail should I rig, 3.5 or 3.0?'.

Eastbourne fundays are a no pressure chance to meet, talk and go sailing with others from the windsurfing community.
Members from the WWA will be there to cook some sausages on the BBQ and help answer some of your questions about windsurfing.

Eastbourne fundays happen on the first sunday of the month during summer (daylight savings) from 11am at Marine Parade Eastbourne by the Eastbourne RSA. It is a friendly place with room to rig and a plaground for the kids right next door.

The date and location do not change, you decide on the day if the weather suits you.

A 1978 documentary that follows the attempt by three young people to be the first windsurfers to cross Cook Strait. Directed and narrated by Sam Neill (soon to be famous as an actor) for the National Film Unit. The skeptical Cook Strait pilot John Cataldo asks them: "do you wanna have a crack?" "Yeah, bloody oath" one of the surfers replies. They face the Strait's infamous winds, tides, swells, sharks and exhaustion.